-For today’s prophecy update, I want to talk about something the Lord put on my heart after some time in prayer Friday morning. -Namely, the centrality of Jerusalem as the prophetic clock revealing the lateness of the hour, and the nearness of the rapture. -I would argue that all of the other major and well-known prophecies have at their core, Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel.

Zechariah 12:1–9 -1 A prophecy: The word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares: 2 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the LORD. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.’ 6 “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. 7 “The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. 8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.

-It’s my belief that this prophecy concerning Jerusalem is beginning to come to pass, as evidenced by what happened last week. -Specifically as it relates to the upcoming six-month waiver to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem signed by the US President. -US law, signed by Clinton in 1995 requires the embassy move unless waived by the President, which we’ve done for 22 years.

-Said law requires subsequent waivers to be signed by the President of the United States every six months, making it 44 times. -As such, the six-month deadline is coming up and President Trump will now make a decision as to whether or not to waive it. -However, this time around, the stakes are significantly higher by virtue of what comes packaged with it: Jerusalem as Capital.

I’ll begin with this report from Arutz Sheva about Trump declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The Wall Street Journal reports that the US administration has notified a number of American embassies around the world that President Trump is considering declaring Jerusalem the "indivisible capital" of Israel at the same time that he will sign the postponement of the transfer of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/404513

According to The Times of Israel, Trumps declaration is in lieu of the embassy move. Quoting the Times, “The announcement would be a way to offset a likely decision delaying his campaign promise to move the US Embassy to the holy city from Tel Aviv, the US officials said. https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-officials-trump-mulls-declaring-jerusalem-israels-capital/

As you might imagine, in advance of any decision and or declaration on the part of the US President, there is no shortage of warnings and threats from the Islamic countries as evidenced by this Ynet News report, in which they quote Jordan’s King Abdullah. According to Ynet, rumors of Trump’s planned announcement were met with warnings from Jordan's King Abdullah II, who said during a visit to the US that "the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem at this stage will have repercussions in the Palestinian, Arab and Islamic scene." He also added that it would "endanger the two-state solution and could be potentially exploited by terrorists to stoke anger, frustration, and desperation in order to spread their ideologies." https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5049989,00.html

I suppose we shouldn’t be too surprised given this Jerusalem Post report about how 151 UN states voted to disavow Israeli ties to Jerusalem. Quoting the Post, The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to disavow Israeli ties to Jerusalem as part of six anti-Israel resolutions it approved on Thursday in New York. The vote was 151 in favor and six against, with nine abstentions. The resolution came as the Trump Administration was rumored to be actively considering relocating its embassy to Jerusalem. …The resolution stated that “any actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem are illegal and therefore null and void and have no validity whatsoever.” … The UNSG on Thursday also approved a second [of six] resolution[s] that condemned Israeli settlement activity and called upon it to withdraw to the pre-1967 line. This included leaving the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria during the Six-Day War. …Among the six resolutions was one, sponsored by Syria, which condemned Israel’s continued presence on the Golan Heights. … Israel noted the absurdity of such a resolution at a time when the Syrian regime was using chemical weapons against its own citizens while Israel was treating the wounded of that conflict who managed to cross its borders. The UN General Assembly is expected to approve another ten anti-Israel resolutions by the end of the year. http://www.jpost.com/printarticle.aspx?id=515730

Speaking of Syria, the breaking news in just the last 24 hours is that Israeli aircraft struck an Iranian base outside Damascus. “…In the past, Israel has reportedly carried out attacks against Syrian convoys and installations, in order to prevent Syria from transferring sophisticated weapons to Iran's local proxy Hezbollah.” http://www.jpost.com/printarticle.aspx?id=515789

-This presupposes that Syria possesses the aforementioned “sophisticated weapons” to transfer to Iran’s local proxy Hezbollah. -I would suggest that Syria not only has chemical weapons for Iran but according to one source, will have nuclear weapons next. -I’ll take it a step further and suggest they’re getting these weapons from none other than North Korea who ships them to Syria.

-It’s important to understand that North Korea desperately needs the money from the sale and shipment of weapons to Syria. -Moreover, North Korea being involved with and even in support of Syria, goes back as far as twenty-two years ago in 1995. -In 1995, Syria acquired Scud missiles from North Korea. In 2007 Israel destroyed a North Korea built nuclear reactor in Syria.

It’s for this and other reasons that I take North Korea seriously, especially here in Hawaii. It seems that as a state, we’re also taking a threat from North Korea seriously as well. As such, Hawaii will resume monthly statewide testing of its Cold War-era nuclear attack warning sirens for the first time in about 30 years, in preparation for a potential missile launch from North Korea. You, like me, probably heard the first one on Friday at 11:45am. This Ynet News article says that the monthly tests of the nuclear attack siren are being reintroduced in Hawaii in conjunction with public service announcements urging residents of the islands to "get inside, stay inside and stay tuned" if they should hear the warning. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5048900,00.html

-The question from all of this becomes one of, what does all of this mean to us, not just here in Hawaii, but all over the world. -I personally believe that things are about to get real, real fast, as it were, by virtue of something, or someone finally snapping. -A while back I used the illustration of a rubber band that can only be stretched so far for so long before it finally has to snap.

Romans 13:11–14 — 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

-Before we partake of communion I want to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by way of what’s known as the ABC’s of Salvation.

The ABC’s of Salvation -A is for Admit you’re a sinner – Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The B is for Believe. Romans 10:9-10 says if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. The C is for Call. Romans 10:9-10 also says if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:13 says that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.